AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bazaarvoice, Inc., the leading provider of product reviews and user-generated content (UGC) solutions, today announced it has acquired Influenster, a product discovery and reviews platform with nearly six million community members worldwide. The acquisition brings together Influenster’s engaged community of everyday consumers with Bazaarvoice’s industry-leading software and network of over 6,000 global brand and retailer websites. Through the combined solutions of Bazaarvoice and Influenster, brands will have a single partner to help them build relationships with new and existing customers, create a comprehensive product reviews and UGC strategy, and power word-of-mouth marketing at scale.

Consumers rely on honest recommendations from peers and other shoppers when discovering and buying products. Brands and retailers that facilitate this peer-to-peer conversation by generating and showcasing UGC boost online and offline sales and foster brand loyalty. In fact, our recent Shopper Experience Index found that best-in-class companies who make UGC available to shoppers drove an average 137% conversion increase and a 157% lift in revenue-per-visitor. Through its platform, Influenster has created a product-obsessed community whose members have written more than 38 million product reviews and who continue to create more than 50,000 pieces of content every day — including photos, videos, and Q&A. Brands including Coty and Procter & Gamble work with Influenster to run product sampling campaigns, generate and license organic review and social content, and build brand awareness.

“The decision to join forces with Influenster underscores Bazaarvoice’s commitment to connecting brands with consumers and consumers with one another through user-generated content,” said Joe Davis, CEO of Bazaarvoice. “Influenster’s product sampling and review generation offerings further strengthen our core product ratings and reviews solutions, and their hyper-targeting and gamification capabilities will allow us to better support our customers’ broader marketing initiatives. We’re excited to partner with a company that shares our belief in the power of the everyday consumer.”

“Our vision has always been to empower today’s consumers to be the trusted voice when it comes to product experiences and recommendations. Bazaarvoice shares a similar mission, making them an ideal partner,” said Elizabeth Scherle, president and co-founder of Influenster. “Since launching Influenster nine years ago, we’ve innovated to meet the changing needs of shoppers as the retail, e-commerce, and social media landscapes evolve. Through this acquisition, we’re excited to continue our growth by developing new capabilities and connecting our highly-motivated community with thousands of brands and more than a billion shoppers in the Bazaarvoice Network.”

The co-founders of Influenster, Aydin Acar and Elizabeth Scherle, will retain responsibility for key functions at Influenster. Integrated offerings will be available in North America immediately and in Europe in the fall of 2019, before expanding to other regions in 2020. To learn more, visit: https://www.bazaarvoice.com/bazaarvoice-and-influenster-for-brands.

About Influenster

Influenster is a social shopping experience where community meets commerce. The platform has more than 38 million product reviews, growing by one million monthly, written by nearly six million members. Members come to Influenster to read and write reviews, share photos and videos, participate in product discussions, earn rewards, and connect with brands and one another.

Brands partner with Influenster to generate reviews and social content, to license existing reviews to their brand- and retail-dot-coms or feature them in sales and marketing materials to improve conversion, and to gain new consumer and product insights through in-depth review analysis.

Headquartered in New York City, Influenster was founded by Elizabeth Scherle and Aydin Acar in 2010.

About Bazaarvoice

Each month in the Bazaarvoice Network, more than a billion consumers create, view, and share authentic user generated-content including reviews, questions and answers, and social photos across more than 6,000 global brand and retailer websites. From search and discovery to purchase and advocacy, Bazaarvoice’s solutions help brands and retailers reach in-market shoppers, personalize their experiences, and give them the confidence to buy.

Founded in 2005, Bazaarvoice is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices in North America, Europe, and Australia. For more information, visit www.bazaarvoice.com.

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